Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I inform the committee that we have present in the chamber today the transport committee of the Irish parliament. Welcome. It is great to have you here in the Main Committee. We are currently debating an appropriation bill, which is to provide extra moneys for the Commonwealth of Australia. But it is a bit of an Irish bill in that the standing orders say that members can discuss any subject—it does not have to be related to the bill. This is also a bit of an Irish chamber in that members of the opposition sitting on this side can make their speeches on the government side, but that cannot happen in the House. In introducing the bill, the standard question put was that the bill be read a second time, to which the member for Melbourne has moved an amendment. The question now before the parliament is again a bit Irish—by the way, you have a wonderful country—in that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question. I have always found that a bit convoluted.